Statement on PM phone call with Benjamin Netanyahu

This news article was published under
the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Discussion focused on situation in Gaza and Southern Israel

Prime Minister David Cameron spoke to the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening to discuss the situation in Southern Israel and Gaza.

A Downing St spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister spoke to the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening to discuss the situation in Gaza and Southern Israel.

The Prime Minister said that he was extremely concerned by the dangerous situation and deeply sorry for the loss of civilian life on both sides. He said the rocket attacks from Gaza into southern Israel by Hamas and other armed groups were completely unacceptable and that the increasing frequency of rocket attacks in recent days was the immediate cause of the situation. He made clear that Hamas bears the principal responsibility for crisis.

The Prime Minister said that the priority must be to de-escalate the crisis. He called on Mr. Netanyahu to do all he could to avoid civilian casualties and emphasised that both sides needed to avoid a spiral of violence that would be in no-one’s interest, particularly at a time of instability in the region.